Banks pledge to keep rural branches open and support Bank@Post services until 2027
Australia’s major banks have pledged to maintain banking services in regional areas, extending moratoriums on branch closures and reinforcing their support for Bank@Post services.
Major banks have extended the moratorium on branch closures until mid-2027, ensuring continued access to in-person banking services, with Commonwealth Bank (CBA), National Australia Bank (NAB), and Westpac having reached new in-principle agreements to support Bank@Post services.
ANZ is in advanced negotiations with Australia Post. If finalised, ANZ customers will be able to access Bank@Post services from October 2025. Macquarie and HSBC are also set to begin discussions with Australia Post regarding participation in the service.
“This is a major commitment to keep regional branches open and available to customers,” said Anna Bligh (pictured above), chief executive of the Australian Banking Association. “Banks are ensuring Australians can continue to access high-quality banking services no matter where they live.”
Despite a 50% decline in branch interactions in recent years as customers shift to digital banking, Australian banks continue to operate a higher number of branches than the OECD average.
NAB has reinforced its regional presence by confirming it will not close any rural or regional branches before July 31, 2027. NAB group executive for personal banking Ana Marinkovic highlighted the importance of in-person services, stating that while digital banking continues to evolve, face-to-face banking remains essential for many Australians.
The bank, which has 47% of its branches in regional areas, has invested $41 million over the past year to upgrade its network and has introduced Saturday branch openings to improve accessibility.
CBA has also extended its commitment to regional Australia, keeping all regional branches open until at least July 31, 2027. The bank plans to invest $100 million this year in upgrading its branches and ATM network.
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